Re-evaluating my status as an applicant

[1Path]

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If I was a black person, I wouldn't be inclined to stay in the South just because of the long history of racism there.

Amen brotha, amen. Even though I technically still live in the South (Metro DC) trust me, it's NOTHING like the "real" South. Personally, I wish Lincoln would have let the South succede to save me and my family some violent deaths and heartache, but that's another story.

Now I normally don't get into fights on SDN 🙂p), but I just have to address some of the comments diercted at Q. Of all the people on SDN, she's the most objective person around. Your response was a little on the sensitive side, but even I can conceed that sometimes folks just have a bad day.🙂

 

[Hard24Get]

Q, I feel that your occasionally subtle, but for most parts, grossly over-stated sarcasm is neither necessary nor helpful.
I came here seeking advices regarding careers in science, not an outlook on life in general.

Again as a scientist, you should know, hopefully better than I, that these assertions are purely conjectural in nature and neither of us can say with authority what is the true reason the African Americans stayed in the South, or whether CA is less racist than the South or not.
I have given my opinion and since you disagree, I will just choose to ignore it since the topic bores the hell out of me.
Oh, and the analogy of the lab/marriage vs. US history was truly remarkable as well- surely there is a multitude of similarities between them (?)

Perhaps another PhD (in history) is in order for you since you seem to be so intrigued in conducting officious education on the matter?
Making assumptions and leaps of faith, along with a healthy dose of repetitions and regurgitations of cliches should suit you very well in history, I imagine.
I'm sorry I don't share a love for it as you seem to profess.

Hi, I have multiple reasons to poke my nose in this thread and couldn't resist:

1. I am a regular on the SDN forum and I would strongly advise you to be a bit nicer to Q, who is a linchpin around here. You came here for some advice, which is best served frankly (most of us are too old and experienced to sugar coat, anyway 😛) You will soon find that "a career in science" and "life in general" are not so easy to separate, especially in the minds of adcoms. It may not be fun to read Q's honest words, but they are accurate and written for your benefit, so please try to incorporate rather than counter. After all, you did admit you were trying to work on your problem with being self-absorbed - this is a good opportunity to practice accepting and learning from criticism (a critical issual for the self-absorbed to overcome).

2. I am a UCSD alumnus who is in my last year at Penn, so I just wanted to wish you good luck and point out that, at least 7 years ago, UCSD had a handout of different schools students applied to with their acceptance rate correlated to GPA. Should be a nice guide to start from.

3. I know it bores you, but as an African American who knows and loves her history I must point out that the primary limiting factor of black immigratin out of the south was money. Few ever received the 2 mules and an acre, many went on working for their masters. Once generations were established and money became more available, many left, but the majority stayed, as if often the way with families. Also, as someone who has lived in Cali and in the east coast, there is way less racism on the east than in CA, and way more blacks. For that reason, I will probably not return to CA. I doubt you care about any of this as you are extremely unlikely to be black, but there it is.

 

[RxnMan]

3. I know it bores you, but as an African American who knows and loves her history I must point out that the primary limiting factor of black immigratin out of the south was money. Few ever received the 2 mules and an acre, many went on working for their masters. Once generations were established and money became more available, many left, but the majority stayed, as if often the way with families. Also, as someone who has lived in Cali and in the east coast, there is way less racism on the east than in CA, and way more blacks. For that reason, I will probably not return to CA. I doubt you care about any of this as you are extremely unlikely to be black, but there it is.

I read the first post or so when this thread started, but it has gone off the rails...

The bolded part is interesting - I would think the opposite. I have never accused of being racist until I came to the east coast.

 

[jeniffer lopez]

Hi, I have multiple reasons to poke my nose in this thread and couldn't resist:

Also, as someone who has lived in Cali and in the east coast, there is way less racism on the east than in CA, and way more blacks. For that reason, I will probably not return to CA. I doubt you care about any of this as you are extremely unlikely to be black, but there it is.

I have lived in both coasts and in the south, and, at least from the Hispanic perspective, I am MUCH happier in the east coast. At least I am not stared at and there are a lot of whites/hispanics/blacks/asians/middle-easterns. I just wish there were more native americans/polynesians (I love them!) to have a truly multicultural mix over here 😉.

 

[Doctor&Geek]

Hey! The South isn't all that bad! Join us! =)

Seriously, while this east coast/west coast generalization of attitudes annoys me, worse is the general assumption that the South is full of bigots, a place unfit for any minority.

 

[1Path]

Hey! The South isn't all that bad! Join us! =)

Seriously, while this east coast/west coast generalization of attitudes annoys me, worse is the general assumption that the South is full of bigots, a place unfit for any minority.

Ummm, yeah!🙄

I think there's a reason why most black MD/PhD's and/or profs at med schools for that matter, are primarily at NORTHERN east coast schools (excluding HBCU's). And let me save you the suspense, it ain't because of the weather.😛

 

[jjmack]

Hey! The South isn't all that bad! Join us! =)

Seriously, while this east coast/west coast generalization of attitudes annoys me, worse is the general assumption that the South is full of bigots, a place unfit for any minority.

I have heard some stories from asian and african classmates that blow my mind...and not in a good way. And people say nashville isn't that southern.

 

[Doctor&Geek]

Again, I'm a minority (but not black) who's lived in the South for most of my life - and I've never had to deal with these issues. Ignorance yes, but not to the extent portrayed here.

I'm once again disappointed at the blanket statements and anecdotes provided above by people who haven't lived here.

 

[1Path]

Again, I'm a minority (but not black) who's lived in the South for most of my life - and I've never had to deal with these issues. Ignorance yes, but not to the extent portrayed here.

I'm once again disappointed at the blanket statements and anecdotes provided above by people who haven't lived here.

I'm black and I lived in the Florida for 14 years so I think my statements go well beyond blanket statements and anecdotes.

Also, having lived in the South for many years, I became VERY familiar with the term and I mean no offese in saying this, "honorary white people". These are essentially minority groups (usually Chinese/Japanese/Korean) whom have quite unfortunately abandoned their culture and to which whites, who believe in this point of view, have allowed "in" to a certain degree.

Now if you're Asian Indian, I'd be VERY suprised you haven't expereinced any overt racism because 1) Many Indians tend to have darker skin and 2) They tend to maintain a cultural connection to their roots while staying connect with mainstream America.

 

[jeniffer lopez]

I'm once again disappointed at the blanket statements and anecdotes provided above by people who haven't lived here.

I have lived in Florida and my family is still there. My dad still gets his weekly dose of "go back to your country, this land is for us whites." But I guess with the current anti-immigration sentiment, that can happen anywhere in the US🙁

 

[Doctor&Geek]

Also, having lived in the South for many years, I became VERY familiar with the term and I mean no offese in saying this, "honorary white people". These are essentially minority groups (usually Chinese/Japanese/Korean) whom have quite unfortunately abandoned their culture and to which whites, who believe in this point of view, have allowed "in" to a certain degree.

I'm sorry, but I am seriously offended by this. I'm not sure how you can characterize one or any other minorities experiences with even more blanket statements and some falsities. Integration into "white" (or maybe American?) culture? Abandonment of their roots?

I'm ending this discussion right now - seems like this honorary white person won't be able to convince you of anything.

 

[Doctor&Geek]

I have lived in Florida and my family is still there. My dad still gets his weekly dose of "go back to your country, this land is for us whites." But I guess with the current anti-immigration sentiment, that can happen anywhere in the US🙁

Other regions of the US suffer this same issue of xenophobia, and is not exclusive to the South.

 

[jeniffer lopez]

Other regions of the US suffer this same issue of xenophobia, and is not exclusive to the South.

That's what I said at the end of my post.

 

[1Path]

I'm sorry, but I am seriously offended by this. I'm not sure how you can characterize one or any other minorities experiences with even more blanket statements and some falsities. Integration into "white" (or maybe American?) culture? Abandonment of their roots?

I'm ending this discussion right now - seems like this honorary white person won't be able to convince you of anything.

I did qualify my statement that I wasn't trying to be offensive that's what I meant. But I'm not one who finds that political correctness has a place on the internet.

You mentioned having not experienced racism as an Asian and I offered an explination as to why based on having lived most of my 40 years in the South AND having maintained very close relationship with Asians. That's all that really was.

Like it or not, it IS a term that many Southern whites and blacks are familiar with.

Other regions of the US suffer this same issue of xenophobia, and is not exclusive to the South.

No place on the planet is exclusive or racial problems, but there ARE places where racial incidences occur more than other places.

 

[Hard24Get]

On a lighter note, I love the South but for years I would go to Memphis and not see any white people. Didn't notice what was missing until I ran into one, and he looked as surprised as I did! 😛 Segregation isn't that cool, but the South is awesome - don't knock it.


Say, wasn't this thread about someone trying to get into a MD-PhD program or something? I think this is the first hijacking I've seen on the MD-PhD forum! 😱